Research essay Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Essay - Research Paper Example Engineering is a special stream of implementing scientific concepts for the ease of mankind. From manufacturing a pen to the building of mega structures, like skyscrapers and mammoth naval vessels, engineering has been a technique to stride over decades by one simple innovation and invention. As sciences are attributed for being a self correcting knowledge, engineering has been a practical example. It involves risks and stakes that can cost even thousands of lives, and at the same time it can help millions of lives to live well. As it is seen, even today, that people are prone to the results of their tests and trials in the field of engineering, disasters sometimes become complementary. It is therefore necessary to analyze one such epitome that can provide an example of what was deemed and what was harvested. In modern times uncalled for events do occur. They somehow manage to escape in depth analysis and scrutiny for contingencies. A system that is aimed for the sake of ease of mank ind goes out of control and costs people dearly, should be thoroughly studies from different angles in order to be avoided in future. One such event of our times is discussed here. The event, which will be discussed, is a major engineering failure that reminds every engineer of the outcomes of an under-engineered system design. Case of â€Å"Chernobyl disaster, that gobbled heavy life toll and exposed many to nuclear radiation, is one of the biggest examples of modern times†. (NEA) The Soviets were in charge of the site and its operations and they were in the know about the potential nuclear hazards that could kick off anytime during its operation. As known for their use of crude technology and low level of quality assurance in engineering sector, Soviets took the issue trivially. â€Å"On 26th April, 1986, the nuclear plant that was inducted with low quality and under-engineered steam turbines and fissile material, started malfunctioning†. (safetycouncil.org.nz) This malfunctioning was of very serious nature as the steam turbines showed a stark increase in revolution due to spike in uranium fission reaction. Soon the steam turbines started reaching its maximum revolution capacity and blew up with a thud. The explosion engrossed fissures in the main core which started melting. Eventually the whole core melted and the proximity areas caught fire. The bursting of core emanated tremendous radioactive waves and particles that in the form of a radioactive fallout engulfed large swathes of USSR (Ionizing Radiation, 23). Region in a circle of more than a hundred miles was immersed in this catastrophic fall out. A cost of â€Å"Ruble 18 billion was spent and around 500,000 rescue workers and volunteers started emergency operations in the radiation stricken area†. The failure to comprehend the sensitivity of advance engineering practices to ensure nuclear core development is what is being said as the main reason for such a big loss (Yamada, 4). An answer to the question of what actually went wrong with the nuclear reactor is now clear. International organizations like IAEA have been able to formulize basic requisite for the development and deployment of such facilities. The engineering field has been given a specialized faculty of Nuclear Engineering and Engineering Management to ensure fidelity with the international practices of engineering. An analysis shows that there was â€Å"no energy-spike-control mechanism†. (secondsfromdisaster.net) Further the boilers and steam turbines were not segregated from